Napoli-Milan 2-2: Giroud deceives the Devil, Politano and Raspadori overcome him
The other big match of the tenth day of Serie A between Napoli and Milan ends in a draw. At Maradona the match did not go beyond a splendid 2-2, characterized by the beautiful Neapolitan comeback against the Rossoneri after Giroud’s brace in the first half. Politano and Raspadori responded in the second half: Pioli’s team thus lost the chance to regain second place in the standings, moving to -1 behind Juve (23) but slipping to -3 behind leaders Inter (25); instead Garcia’s men, left with 10 men in the last minutes (red to Natan), rise to 18 points in fourth place. The first big chance of the match is for the Rossoneri and arrives less than two minutes before kick-off, with Giroud trying to finish on goal after a fouled shot from Musah, but Rrahmani is providential in saving. However, it will be the Frenchman himself, in the 22nd minute, who scores the visitors’ 1-0 thanks to a great header from a Pulisic cross, deflected but not saved by Meret. The Neapolitans would have conceded the ball for the equalizer five turns later, but Politano wasted it by putting it on the outside of the net after an assist from Kvaratskhelia. Milan saved themselves and did not forgive, because on the other side it was Giroud who struck again in the 31st minute: this time the Frenchman won the duel with Rrahmani and, again with his head, scored his personal brace from Calabria’s cross. This time the Azzurri seem to feel the pinch and in the 41st minute they even risk collecting a hat trick, with Reijnders putting the ball over from an excellent position following a touch from Theo.
Napoli’s reaction came at the start of the second half and in the 50th minute led to a splendid goal by Politano, who drunk a couple of defenders and fired a left-footed shot under the crossbar, reopening the challenge. Maradona revived and Garcia’s team continued to push, finding the 2-2 in the 63rd minute, thanks to a free kick from Raspadori that surprised Maignan at his own post. Milan tries to respond immediately with Leao but Meret is good at neutralizing him, then in the final the Azzurri remain numerically inferior due to the double yellow given to Natan. In injury time the last opportunities came from Calabria on one side (header on the outside of the net), and on the other Kvaratskhelia who was blocked by Maignan. The 2-2 score holds up at the final whistle.
NAPLES-MILAN 2-2 SCORESHEET
NAPLES (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani (1’st Østigård), Natan, Mário Rui (1’st Olivera); Elmas (1’st Simeone), Lobotka, Zieliński (32’st Anguissa); Politano (38’st Zanoli), Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia. Available: Gollini, Contini; D’Avino; Cajuste, Demme, Gaetano; Lindstrom, Zerbin. All.: Garcia.
MILAN (4-3-3): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu (19′ Pellegrino (42’st Florenzi), Tomori, Hernández; Musah, Krunić, Reijnders; Pulisic (1’st Romero), Giroud (35’st Okafor), Leão (35’st Jović). .: Mirante, Nava; Bartesaghi; Adli, Pobega. All.: Pioli.
Referee: Orsato di Schio. Goals: 22′ Giroud (M), 31′ Giroud (M), 5’st Politano (N), 18’st Raspadori (N).
Ammonites: 8’st Natan (N), 10’st Reijnders (M), 17’st Romero (M), 20’st Di Lorenzo (N), 33’st Musah (M), 41’st Zanoli (N).
Expelled: 44’st Nathan (N).
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